Automatic means for indicating the condition of air-brake mechanism on trains



Jan. 5 1926.

1,568,041 c J. EESHEAR$ AUTOMATIC MEAN FOR INDIQATING THE CONDITION OF AIR BRAKE MECHANISM 0N TRAINS Filed August 21, 1923 Zacohwziua Patented Jan. "5, 1926'.

' UNITED STATES cnaiannca J. aasnaans, or MEMPHIS,

1,568,041 PATENT o icE.

TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO HARRY C. AGNEW, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

nu'rom'rrc means non. m'mcarme THE connrrion' on Armenians uncrmmsu on 'rnams.

Application filed August 21, 1928. Serial No. 658,642.

To all whom itmay concern v I p, Be it known that I, CLARENCE J BESHEARS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Memphis, in the county" of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Automatic Means for Indicating the Condition of Air-- Brake Mechanism on Trains; of which the following is a specification.

The subject of the present invention is the provision of automatic means for visually notifying the en ineer .of a train of the number of cars on'gw 'ch the air-brakes are couple 7 opened, leaving the cars to the rear of the operatively connected. v t

\In the present air-brake systems each car of a train is provided with air brakes all supplied by a compressorand controlled by a'valve on the locomotive. The pipe line running the length of the train, known as the train line is formed by a rigid pipe on each car, to each end of which is fastened a short section of hose. Each hose is provided with a couplin member whereby the pipe on one car canae coupled to that on the next. Between each hose and its correspondin pipe is provided a valve, lmown in the tra e as a cut-out cock in order that the train linemay be closed at the end of the last car. c.

The hose coupling members in the train line must be manually coupled although the cars are automatically cou led. Consequently it often happens that a arge train is made up with but a few or maybe no cars ha ing the air-brakes coupled for operation. It may also happen that the train line is properly but the cut-out cocks are not all first closed cock with inoperative brakes. Either of the above conditions may be the cause of a serious accident since the engineer, relying on all of the air-brakes, will not be able to stop the train in the antici ,pated space or on certain steep down-grades.

' It is therefore anobject of this invention to provide an automatic visual signal in the engine cab to indicate how many cars have their brakes coupled to the train line.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an automatic visual signal in the engine cab to indicate the number of cars immediately back of the locomotive that have their cut-out cocks open.

Another object of this invention is the pro-- vision of an air-brake cut-out cock provided with electric" circuit closing means operative simultaneously therewith. 1

Further objects will appear as the descrip tion proceeds.

plates the provision of an electric circuit adapted to'be connected through all the cars and the locomotive. Each car is provided with a resistance of fixed value and 'the 1ocomotive is provided with a source of ele'c. trio energy and an indicator. The cut-out cocks are each provided with afswitch in shunt to the circuit'so that in case any one is closed the circuit will also be'closed at that point and the indicator will show the numer of resistances in circuit, which number will correspond to the number of cars having operative air-brakes.

The invention may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the drawings in which:

1 is a schematic view of several cars and a locomotive equipped with the invention.

Fig.2 is an elevation of a cut-out cock in position on the end of a car, showing also the electric connector partially in section.

Fig. 3, is a longitudinal vertical section of acut-out cock showing the circuit closing mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section online 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1, there are shown three cars A, and a locomotive B, equipped with the invention. Each car has as standard equipment a train pipe section C, with a short length of hose D at either end thereof. These hose sections are adapted to be connected togethenbetween cars by couplings E. Between each train pipe section C and hose section D, there is provided a cut-out cock F for closing 011' the trainpipe at any car that forms the end of a train, or when it is desired to render the air-brakes on certain cars inoperative. Each car and the locomotive is provided with an electric circuit G carried in a conduit H. These conduits terminate in iunction boxes L, from Stated briefly; this invention contem- .tion of a quick detachable connector S,

which will be described later. i

In the electric circuit of each car and lo-- comotive is a series resistance R. The'locomotive carries a suitable source of current, here shown as a battery K, and an 1nvdicator M connected in series with the batcar having the air-brakes properly coupled,

Y there is incorporated in each cut-out cock Fa circuit closer, connected by leads 0 P in parallel to the train circuit.

The cut-out cock F comprises a cast iron housing 1, internally threaded-at one end for attachment to the train pipe C, and at the other end having a 45 bend and a hose coupling mechanism. This housing has a tapered bore 2 into which is pressed a brass sleeve 3 similarly tapered, both internally and externally. Fitting rotatably within the sleeve is a brass core 4. Both sleeve and core are'properly drilled,-as at 5, to permit the flow of air when the core is-in the position shown, but to cut off any flow when the core 4 is rotated 90- by meansof the handle 6. The core is held in position and-mainand tained air-tight by means of a'spring 7 pressed against its end by a cast iron plug 8 which is screwed into the body of the cock.

' The handle 6, with the enlarged head 9, is

slippedover a squared shank on the core and held in position by a nut 10. A depending lug 11 on the enlarged headis adapted to cooperate with stops 12-12 on the body of the cock to limit the movement of the plug to 90.

In the upper part of the cut-out cock is. 1 arranged an electric circuit closer adapted to be operated simultaneously with the book. Within the upper part of thesleeve3 is pressed an arcuate piece of fibre or other suitable insulating material 13. Set in this insulating material is a copper contact 14.

The brass sleeve 3 and cast iron body 1 of the cock are drilled and tapped opposite this contact to fit a threaded nipple 27 which is bent downward and accommodates the conductor cable P which is connected to the proof and sunproof wax. The seooifd contact 16 of the circuit closer is located in the plug 4 from which it is insulated by the bushing 17 of suitable insula'ting'material. The top' of the plug has a longitudinal bore 1 8 through which the flexible cable 0 is adapted to pass and be connected tothe con tact 16. This hole is also suitably insulated with wax. The upper end of the plug is externally threaded as at 19, to receive "a couplingmemberof aflexible conduit (not shown) which surrounds the cable 0. The

'closed cables run to .thejunction boxes L.

The flexible cables N enclosed in flexible conduits are connected to the junction boxes clip 21 adapted to snap into a depression 22 on the opposite shell member and thus hold the partstogether. Suitably "secured inthe shell is a block ,of insulating material 23 in which are em-,

bedded the contacts 24 and 25.: Contact 24 is a socket and 25 is a plug so that any member S is adapted to be connected to any other 'L and each terminates in one member of a similar member. At the'rear of the block 23 are arranged binding screws 26 electrically connected tolthe contacts 24' and 25 and adapted to hold the cables contained in the flexible conduit N. Between the shell and the block 23 is arranged a rubber gasket 28 to insulate the contacts. In order that the connector shall -be watertight when closed, this gasket has aflange 29 overlapping the end of the shell.' I

The resistance R is carried in a suitable junction-box (not shown) connected inthe' crew connects the air-brake couplings and turns on the cut-out cocks F. At the same.

time the connectors S are coupled. With all of the air-brakes operative only the last cutout cock will be closed and the electric circuit will include the resistances R of all cars, allowing but a small current to pass which will be indicated at the meter M. However, if the crew failsto open a cut-out cock, for instance, at the'end ofithe first car, then the circuit will be closed there and but the locomotive. will be in circuit and acorrespondinglv higher current will flow, indicating to the engineer that but one car has its air-brakes operative. He can then take the necessary steps to correct this condition. In case of'failure to make connections between cars by means of connectors S when all cut-out cocks are open. the circult'will he 0 en and such information will be com munlcated to the engineer by failure of the e indicator M is of the ammeter 120. two resistances B, one on the car and one on indicator hand to move from its zero position.

The above description will make the construction and operation of my invention clear to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, but it is to be understood that the embodiment shown is merely illustrative of one form of the apparatus, whichis not to be construed as limiting the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

.Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with an air brake system for trains having a train pipe and cutout .cocks on individual cars, a circuit closed at one end of said train and extending the full length thereof, a source of current and a current strength indicator in series in said circuit, a resistance of similar value on each car in said circuit and means operable by the closure of a cut-out cock to close said circuit to include the resistances between it and the normally closed end of said circuit to indicate the number of cars having their air brakes connected.

2. In combination with an airbrake system for multicar trains having a train pipe extending the length of the train and adapted to be closed by cut-out cocks on the cars, a pair of wires extending the length of the train, a source of current at one end thereof,

an indicator in series with said wires responsive to variations in current flow, a resistance of similar value on each car in series with one of said wires and means operable of a plurality of car pipe sections with a cut-out cock' at each end of each section; a \train circuit composed of a plurality of car circuit sections coupled together, each car circuit section including a resistance of similar value, anda shunt circuit-closer operable with each cut-out cock an indicator" in I said train circuit atone end thereof responsive to variations in the resistance thereof, a source of current 1n said c1rcu1t, the closing of any cutout cock serving to thereby operate its circuit closer to close the train circuit at that point and include in the circuit all of the resistances on cars between said cut-out cock and indicator.

4. In a signal system for air brakes, in combination, cars each having equipment consistin of a train pipe section having a detachab e connector, a cut-out cock there on, a circuit section, a detachable connector at each end thereof, a resistance of equal value in each circuit section, a circuit closer operated by movement of said cut-out cock connected in shunt to said circuit section; a locomotive having a train pipe section provided with a cut-out cock an circuit closer operable therewith,'a circuit section closed at one end, a connector at the opposite end, a

resistance therein, a source of current and an lndicator in said locomotive clrcuit section responsive to variations in the resistance of the circuit, said cars and locomotive adapted to have their circuit sections and train pipe sections connected together by said detachable connectors whereby the closing of a cutout cock to cut ofi the train pipe beyond it from the locomotive will close the circuit thereat including the resistances between it and the locomotive and indicate on said indicator the number of cars having operatively connected air brakes. 5. In combination with an air brake system having a trainpipe and cut-out cocks on each car, an open circuit extendin through the train comprising a plurality 0 car circuit sections coupled together each circuit section including asimilar resistance in series in said circuit and a circuit closer connected in shunt to the circuit and operable simultaneously with the cut-out cook,

'a source of current and current measuring device in said circuit, whereby the closure of a cut-out cock will'complete the circuit thereat including the resistance of the cars ahead of said cut-out and thereby indicate on said device the number of cars having operatively connected air brakes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

, CLARENCE J, 

